Match box with combined latch and disappearing striking surface



A g- 14, 1956 D. E. REID 2,758,708

MATCH BOX WITH COMBINED LATCH AND DISAPPEARING STRIKING SURFACE 7 Filed Aug. 2 1955 INV ENT OR Dmsae f. E00

. 50 I BY I United States Patent MATCH BOX WITH COMBINED LATCH AND DISAPPEARING STRIKING SURFACE Dwelle E. Reid, Charlotte, N. C.

Application August 2, 1955 Serial No. 526,031

7 Claims. 206-40) This invention relates to a match box with a combined latch and disappearing striking surface and, more particularly, to a match box which cannot be opened so long as the striking surface is exposed, which must be closed before the striking surface becomes accessible.

The invention is primarily, although not exclusively, intended for match boxes of the case and sliding drawer 'type, in which wood-stick matches are kept. One of the hazards in using such matches when they are taken from conventional boxes arises when the matches in the drawer are exposed to a burning match, or even the flying meteoric fragment of a struck match. The object of this invention is to provide a latch which must be operated in ;a predetermined manner before the box drawer can be opened and in which, as the result of the unlatching of the drawer, a movable striking surface is concealed. Then, before the striking surface can be re-exposed, the drawer must be closed and re-latched.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the match box in closed, latched condition with the striking surface exposed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the match box as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the match box in closed, unlatched condition with the striking surface concealed;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the match box in open, unlatched condition with the striking surface concealed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section taken longitudinally of the match box in open, unlatched condition showing the inner sides of the parts shown in Figs. 14; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section taken transversely of the match box along the line .66 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the match box denoted generally at 2 comprises a generally oblong case 4 having relatively wide top and bottom walls 6 and 8 and relatively narrow side walls 10 and 12, the ends of the case being open. Slidable inwardly and outwardly through one of the open ends of case 4 is an open top drawer 14 for containing matches. 16, end walls 18 and 19, and opposite side Walls 20. It should be noted that the side wall 20 shown in the drawings is provided with an L-shaped slot denoted generally at 22 in Fig. 5, having a stem portion 24 extending longitudinally of the drawer length and a foot portion 26 extending transversely to the length of the drawer. The case side wall 12 which overlies the slotted side wall 20 of drawer 14 is provided with a tongue 28 defined by end slits 30, 32 and a longitudinal slit 34 which connects the end slits. A slot 36 in tongue 28 extends transversely to the length of the case 4.

A plate denoted generally at 38 is slidable over tongue 28, the opposite end portions 40 of the plate extending through end slits 30 and 32 and the longitudinal edge portion 42 of the plate extending through longitudinal slit 34 at the top of tongue 28. A striking surface 44 is arranged The drawer has a bottom wall.

2 on the upper portion of plate 38 so that when the plate is slid upwardly, the striking surface is concealed behind the wall 12 of case 4 and only a blank surface 46 of plate 38 is exposed. However, when plate 38 is moved downwardly so as to overlap substantially all of tongue 28, striking surface 44 is exposed.

A headed latch pin 48 has a shank 50 extending through an opening 52 in plate 38, shank 50 also slidably engaging through straight slot 36 in tongue 28 and being selectively engageable in either the stern portion 24 or the foot portion 26 of L-shaped slot 22 in the drawer side wall 20.

In operation, latching pin 48 is normally engaged in the lower portion of straight slot 36 in tongue 28, in which position plate 38, which moves with the latching pin, is disposed downwardly so that striking surface 44 is exposed. When latch pin 48 lies in the lower portion of straight slot 36, it is also necessarily engaged in the foot portion 26 of L-shaped slot 22 and is out of registry with the stem portion 24 of the L-shaped slot. Thus, drawer 14 is blocked so that it cannot be opened. However, when latching pin 48 is moved upwardly, plate 38 moves upwardly with it so as to conceal striking surface 44 behind casing side wall 12. Pin shank 50 then lies in registry with the stem portion 24 of L-shaped slot 22 and can move therein longitudinally of the case so that drawer 14 may be opened and closed at will. It should be noted, however, that so long as drawer 14 is open, latching pin 48 is blocked by engagement of shank 50 in the stem portion 24 of L-shaped slot 22 so that the latching pin and plate 38, which moves with the latching pin, cannot be moved downwardly so as to expose striking surface 44. Thus, a match removed from the open drawer cannot be ignited on the striking surface until the drawer is closed so as to enable the striking surface to be re-exposed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the box, illustrated herein as it is formed of cardboard, may be made of wood, metal or plastic and suitably decorated as a novelty gift box, and that the principle of the invention may be incorporated in book matches having sliding match carriers, the invention being intended to cover all substitutions, modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A match container comprising a case, a match holder slidable in said case between an inner position in which the matches are enclosed within the case and an outer position in which the matches are accessible; a latch supported on the case for movement between first and second positions for respectively latching and unlatching said holder; striking surface means; and means movable with said latch for respectively exposing said striking surface means when said latch is in said first position and for masking said striking surface means when said latch is in said second position.

2. A match container comprising a case; a match drawer slidable in said case between an inner position in which the drawer is enclosed within the case and an outer position in which the drawer is open; a latch supported on the case for movement between first and second positions for respectively latching and unlatching said drawer; striking surface means; means movable with said latch for respectively exposing said striking surface means when said latch is in said first position and for masking said striking surface means when said latch is in said second position; and means for preventing movement of said latch from said second position to the first so long as said drawer is open.

3. A match container comprising a case; a match holder slidable in said case between an inner position in which the matches are enclosed within the case and an outer position in which the matches are accessible; a latch supported on the case for movement between first ar sans 3. and second positions for respectively latching and unlatching said'holder; a platehavinga striking surface thereon, said plate being movable on said case between a fir t o t n in whiq ai ing. Surface. era e nd a. ssp di pg tion. n. which. s id rik ng: sur ac i eqnsi a d; nd, 6am co p ng. said plate and sa d atc for. moving. said; plate to.said,fir"stposit ion so as to expose said striking surface when. said latch is. in said first position and for moving said pla e to Said second position so as to mask saidstriking surface when said latch is in ai eqq dpos n- 4, A match box comprising. an elongate open case member having top, bottom and side walls and an open end; an elongate drawer member slidable endwise in said ea e na clos an -Q2 ion d av end side walls respeetively adjacent the corresponding. walls. of the case member; one of the side walls of one of said. members haying an L-shaped slot therein with the stern portion thereof extending longitudinally thereqf and the. foot portion thereof extending transversely thereto; an adjacent side wall of the other member having. a straight slot therein extending parallel to the foot portion of the L-shaped slot and registering therewith. when said drawer is closed, one end of the straight slot registering with the stern portion of the L-sha ed slot when the drawer is open; a latch slidably engaging through said slots and movable between a latching'position in which the same engages in the foot portion ofthe slot, whereby the drawer is prevented from being opened, and an unlatching position in which the same en a e n the stern p o f e lT- p d ot h e y said drawer may be opened and latch is prevented from being moved to said latching position so long as said drawer is open; a plate having a striking surface thereon, said plate being movable inwardly and outwardly of said case through an opening therethrough for respectively masking and exposing said striking surface; said latch being connected to said plate whereby, upon movement of said latch from latching to unlatching position said plate moves inwardly through said opening to conceal said striking surface and whereby, uponmovernent of said a h to la h n p ti a d plat H P-($ eutwafdly through said opening to expose the, striking surface.

5. A match box comprising an lQDgate c asehaving top, bottom a d id wal s and n s an, and; n l n at drawer slidable endwise in said case between closed and P tiq s a av n b ttom end and Si Walls; one of said, drawer side walls having an L-shaped slot therein with the. stern portion thereof extending longitndinally of the drawer and the. foot portion thereof extending transversely thereto; the side wall of said case overlying the slotted drawer side wall having a slot therein extending parallel to the foot portion of the drawer slot and registering therewith when said drawer is closed, one end of the slot in the case wall registering with the stem portion of the drawer slot when the drawer is open; a latch slidably engaging through said slots and movable between a latching position inwhich the same engages in the foot portion of the drawer slot and an unlatching position in which the same engages in the stem portion of the drawer slot, whereby said latch is prevented from being moved to said latching position when said drawer is open; a plate having a striking surface thereon, said plate being movable inwardly and outwardly of said case through, an opening therethrough for respectively masking and exposing said striking surface; said latch being connected to said plate whereby, upon movement of said latch from latching to unlatching position said plate moves inwardly through said opening to conceal said striking surface and whereby, upon movement; of said latch to latching position, said plate moves outwardly. through said. opening tofexpo's'e. the striking surface.

6. A match case having top, bottom and side walls and an PP, @Qdi a d awer. lidable endwise in said case and having bottom, side and end walls, one side wall of said case having a tongue defined on three sides by two end slits extending transversely of the case length and a side slit connecting the end slits and extending longitudinally of the case, said tongue having a straight slot therein extending transversely of the case length; a plate nonnally overlying said tongue and having opposite end portions and a side portion respectively extending through said end slits and said side slit; a striking surface on said plate, the end portions of the plate being slidably engaged in said end slits whereby said plate selectively may he slid through said side slits to i a concealed striking surface position overlapped by the case side wall or exposed striking sur} face position overlappingthe tongue, the side wall of said drawer lying behind the tongue having an L-shaped slot therein with stem and foot portions respectiyely extending lengthwise and transversely of the drawer length and respectively registering, with the slot in the tongue when the drawer open: and closed, and a headed latch pin having a shank extending through plate and slideb y e a hrg sh'. s j 9 her b o l d the plate so as toconceal the striking surface when the pin is moved in the straight slot so as to register the, shank with the stem portion of the L -shaped slot, and to expose the t k n ur a e w sn e Phi f n sd' t of e y with'th e stern portion. i

7. match case having top, bottom and side. walls and an open end, a drawer slidable endwise'in said case and having contiguous bottom, side and end walls, one side wall'ot said case havinga tongue defined on three sides by two end slits: extending transversely of the length of the se 9 asi e sl a stra tin the and slits and e nd n 1 y o h c se, said t ng e av g a slot din ft an's le e y o i e f l r et i a P a e 9 y lyin y one and av ppo ite a d P tiQ AS an e id? Porti n pec i el extending hr s sai n an id sl ts nd being m n sa nwa a d outwardly of the case side wall through the end slits and said side slit; said plate having a striking surface thereon, the side wa l of 'a d'd awer ly n be he on ue a hav n n -shai e s ot herei w h 'stem' n o P9 n j re p c vely ext d n le gthwis and. tra n r 'bt t e s l t g i 3 head latch Pifl havin s n K.- di. 3 h ou sa d Plat d dabl @n j ing slots fer latching and unlatching said awer wh e sigml anso l n th P ate wa t x -es? nd f nrsa t e s i n a r r No references cited. 

